Building permits in Arlington County are issued by the county’s Inspection Services Division, through the Permit Arlington online system and the Permit Arlington Center on the first floor of 2100 Clarendon Boulevard. Arlington is an urban county of about 26 square miles with no incorporated towns or cities inside it.
This guide covers the department and how to reach it, the local conditions that survive state preemption, what permits cost and who may pull them, and how inspections are booked. Rules that apply everywhere in Virginia are summarized in each section, with a link to the full statewide explanation.
This guide covers work inside Arlington County.
The Arlington permit counter does not open on Fridays. Published hours run Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. On the third Wednesday of each month the Center closes at noon. Fairfax and Loudoun both publish Friday hours.
What requires a permit in Arlington County?
The Arlington County Inspection Services Division issues building permits for work inside Arlington County.
Permit required
- New residential and commercial construction, additions and remodels
- Structural alterations, relocation and demolition
- Electrical service changes, panel work and new circuits
- Plumbing, gas piping, water heaters and fixture work
- Mechanical installations and equipment replacements
- Solar photovoltaic systems and battery storage
- Re-roofing and re-siding, except on houses and townhouses where the design wind speed is 100 mph or less
- Renovation or demolition of a pre-1985 building, with asbestos certification first
Typically exempt
- Purely cosmetic finish work that alters no regulated system
- Ordinary repairs the USBC lists: same-size window and door replacement, replacing plumbing fixtures without altering the piping, and replacing switches, receptacles, light fixtures and ceiling fans in homes
- One-story sheds and playhouses of 256 square feet or less, fences other than pool barriers, and retaining walls holding back less than 3 feet of fill
- Farm buildings and structures, which § 36-99 exempts from the code
- Other work the building official deems minor and ordinary that does not affect public health or safety
Arlington’s local conditions that survive state preemption under § 36-98 include its Historic Preservation Overlay District, the only overlay district in the county zoning ordinance. The ordinance also has an Aircraft Landing Approach Area rule that requires an FAA clearance letter for buildings meeting the FAA’s notice criteria.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Arlington County enforces Virginia’s Uniform Statewide Building Code, 2021 edition, in effect since 18 January 2024. No Virginia locality can adopt its own building code or amendments, so what varies locally is zoning conditions, historic districts and flood plain rules. How Virginia’s statewide code works
Who handles permitting in Arlington County?
Arlington is an urban county with no incorporated towns and no independent city inside its borders. It borders Fairfax County, the independent cities of Alexandria and Falls Church, and, across the Potomac, Washington, D.C. If the parcel is in Arlington, the county is the building authority, apart from state-owned and federally owned buildings.
The Permit Arlington Center is closed on Fridays, with published hours of Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and 8:30 a.m. to noon on the third Wednesday of each month.
Census survey data for 2019–2023 put about 53 percent of Arlington’s housing units as built in 1979 or earlier. For a building first permitted before 1985, § 36-99.7 asbestos certification is a statutory bar on issuance of a renovation or demolition permit rather than a review comment. Single-family homes and residential buildings of four or fewer units are exempt unless the work is for commercial or public development.
Applications and status run through the Permit Arlington online system.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Authority | Arlington County Inspection Services Division |
| Phone | 703-228-3800 |
| Permit centre | Permit Arlington, 2100 Clarendon Boulevard, first floor, Arlington |
| Published counter hours | Monday–Thursday 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m. (third Wednesday to noon); closed Friday |
| Portal | Permit Arlington |
| Governing code | 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code |
| Jurisdiction | County with no incorporated towns and no independent city inside it |
| Appeals | Local Board of Building Code Appeals, then the state Review Board |
In 2025, building permits issued by Arlington County authorized 1,309 new privately owned housing units, 224 of them single-family homes, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey.
State-owned buildings, and buildings on state-owned property, are permitted by the Virginia Department of General Services rather than Arlington County (§ 36-98.1). State-owned projects in Virginia
Permit types
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Residential permits
| Work | Permit |
|---|---|
| New single-family dwelling | Building permit, plus trade permits for each system |
| Addition or structural alteration | Building permit; existing building code provisions apply |
| Interior remodel touching a system | Building permit plus the relevant trade permits |
| Deck, porch or accessory structure | Building permit, except one-story sheds and playhouses of 256 square feet or less; zoning setbacks checked separately |
| Re-roofing and re-siding | No permit on houses and townhouses where the design wind speed is 100 mph or less; otherwise a building permit (in a historic district the building official may require one) |
| Solar photovoltaic and battery storage | Building and electrical permits |
| Demolition | Demolition permit; asbestos certification first on pre-1985 buildings |
The permit is a lien document in Virginia
On a one- or two-family dwelling, Arlington County’s building department prints the mechanics’ lien agent on the permit itself. Virginia Code § 36-98.01 requires that a building permit issued for any one- or two-family residential dwelling unit contain, at the time of issuance and at the applicant’s request, the name, mailing address and telephone number of the mechanics’ lien agent as defined in § 43-1. If the applicant does not request a designation, the permit must state, in those words, “None Designated.”
Commercial permits
| Work | Permit |
|---|---|
| New commercial construction | Building permit with full plan review |
| Tenant fit-out or change of use | Building permit; occupancy classification drives scope |
| Structural or facade alteration | Building permit under the existing building code |
| Fire protection and sprinkler systems | Permit required |
| Mechanical, electrical and plumbing | Trade permits by classification-licensed firms |
| Elevators and conveyances | Inspected and enforced by the locality (§ 36-105) |
| Signage | Building permit unless exempt under Appendix H of the construction code; zoning approval is separate |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Pre-1985 buildings: a hard permit prerequisite
Statewide rules also shape every Arlington County filing: the permit records the mechanics’ lien agent designation on one- and two-family dwellings, buildings first permitted before 1985 need asbestos certification before renovation or demolition, annual permits and code modifications are available, and single-family construction drawings are exempt from FOIA disclosure. Virginia rules that shape a submittal
Arlington County permit costs and fees
Permit fees in Arlington County are set locally and may fund only the building department (§ 36-105). A 2.0 percent state levy is collected on local permit fees (USBC Section 107.2), and inspection may be waived on work costing under $2,500. Take plan review charges from the current adopted fee schedule for Arlington County. How Virginia permit fees work
Trade permits and who may pull them
Trade permit required
- Electrical work, by a firm holding the electrical classification
- Plumbing and gas piping, by a firm holding the plumbing classification
- Mechanical and HVAC work, including equipment changeouts
- Fire protection and sprinkler work
Usually no trade permit
- Replacing plumbing fixtures without altering the supply, drainage or vent piping
- Replacing a mechanical appliance that does not burn gas or oil, in a home
- Wiring under 50 volts, such as thermostats, unless it is part of a fire alarm or other life-safety system
- Replacing switches, receptacles, light fixtures and ceiling fans in homes
Rather not deal with the Arlington County building department?
Get a free quote →Virginia’s contractor licence is held by the business: the Board for Contractors issues Class A, B or C licences with trade classifications, individual tradesmen hold separate tradesman licences, and a permit cannot issue without the required state licence or a written statement of exemption (§ 54.1-1111), plus proof that the locality’s license taxes are paid. Virginia contractor licensing
How to apply for an Arlington County building permit
Arlington has no towns and no independent city inside it, but it borders Fairfax County and the cities of Alexandria and Falls Church, all separate authorities.
On renovation or demolition of a pre-1985 building, asbestos certification is a bar on issuance under § 36-99.7.
The Permit Arlington Center is closed on Fridays and closes at noon on the third Wednesday.
Historic district rules survive state preemption under § 36-98; tall buildings may need an FAA clearance letter.
Have the licence classification and, on one- and two-family work, the lien agent decision ready at filing.
Keep the permit posted and an approved set of plans available on site.
If Arlington County denies an application it must explain the reasons in writing (§ 36-105), and a full re-review of the resubmission is lawful. Appeals go to the local Board of Building Code Appeals before the State Building Code Technical Review Board. Denials, corrections and appeals in Virginia
Inspections in Arlington County
The Inspection Services Division schedules building and trade inspections through Permit Arlington. With no towns or independent cities inside the county, there is a single inspection authority throughout.
Arlington County enforces the Statewide Fire Prevention Code itself; the state’s directory of local fire officials lists its fire official’s number as 703-228-0226.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Statewide rules also apply: the permit must be posted and the approved plans kept on site, a stop work order must state the violations and the conditions for resuming work (§ 36-97), and code violations carry penalties under § 36-106. Inspections and enforcement in Virginia
Arlington County permit search and official resources
These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and portal procedures change, so confirm the position for your filing date.
- Arlington County Permit Arlington
- Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (DHCD)
- Virginia DHCD building codes and regulations
- Code of Virginia § 36-98, statewide code supersedes local codes
- Code of Virginia § 36-98.01, mechanics’ lien agent on the permit
- Code of Virginia § 36-105, enforcement, appeals and permits
- Code of Virginia § 36-99.7, asbestos inspection before renovation or demolition
- Virginia DPOR Board for Contractors
Frequently asked questions
Is the Arlington permit office open on Fridays?
No. Published counter hours run Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the counter closed on Friday. On the third Wednesday of each month it closes at noon. Fairfax and Loudoun, by contrast, publish Friday hours.
Are there towns inside Arlington County?
No. Arlington has no incorporated towns and no independent city inside its borders. It does border Fairfax County and the cities of Alexandria and Falls Church, all separate authorities.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →When does the pre-1985 asbestos rule apply in Arlington?
On renovation or demolition of a building first permitted before 1985. Section 36-99.7 bars the department from issuing the permit until asbestos certification is received. Single-family homes and residential buildings of four or fewer units are exempt unless the work is for commercial or public development.
Which building code applies in Arlington County?
The 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code. Under § 36-98 the statewide code supersedes local building codes, so Arlington does not adopt its own edition.
Is there an airport overlay in Arlington?
No airport overlay district. The county zoning ordinance’s only overlay district is the Historic Preservation district. Its Aircraft Landing Approach Area rule requires an FAA clearance letter for buildings that meet the FAA’s notice criteria.
If my application is denied, do I get reasons?
Yes. Section 36-105 requires the department to give a written explanation detailing the reasons for denial. On a revised application the department is encouraged, but not required, to limit its review to the portions previously found inadequate — so a full re-review remains lawful.
Simplify Arlington County permitting with Alliance Permitting
In Arlington the local questions are the four-day counter week, asbestos certification on older buildings and historic district rules. Alliance Permitting prepares, files and tracks Arlington County permits through issuance.
Trusted by leading builders, developers, and national contractors — 21+ years of filing in the jurisdictions we write about.
Contractors and builders choose Alliance for Arlington County because the work is done by people who have stood at the counter:
- We check the pre-1985 asbestos trigger before the permit application, not after.
- We plan counter-dependent steps around a four-day week.
- We check historic district and airport-approach rules for the parcel.
- We keep licence classification and lien agent designation correct at intake.
Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and expediting service in Virginia. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice, and we are not the permitting authority.
Ready to break ground in Arlington County sooner?
Let Alliance prepare, file, and track your Arlington County permits while your crew stays on the job.
More Virginia permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Arlington County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.